


Brilliant and Beautiful

by Luthen



Category: Rise of the Guardians (2012)
Genre: All the major stages briefly covered, Aster is a very protective father, Changed family arrangement from Canon, Drabble Sequence, End with a wedding, F/M, Friends to Lovers, M/M, POV Multiple, Pooka Jamie Bennett, Pooka Sophie Bennett, Shovel Talk, Some flower language, Sophie is Jamie's mother not his little sister, meet cute, or sorts
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-11
Updated: 2014-04-11
Packaged: 2018-01-18 23:58:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,634
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1447774
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Luthen/pseuds/Luthen
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jack's best friend in the world is the only kit of the Easter Bunny. This means he has to fight for his friendship. And he will, because Jamie is the best thing to ever happen to him.</p>
<p>"She turned and he saw a bundle in her arms. Poking out of it was a curious little brown rabbit. Its eyes were bouncing around and its nose twitching like a hummingbird, even if it seemed too tired to move. Jack’s cuteness induced squeal spooked the rabbits. A foot stomp and they were gone. Jack decided he was going to befriend the baby bunny."</p>
            </blockquote>





	Brilliant and Beautiful

**Author's Note:**

> The sections from two sequences, each chronologically ordered within itself. But the odds occur post movie and the evens before that. If that doesn't make sense there are approximate dates on each section. The POV is indicated in the headings too.
> 
> Since there was a little confusion. In this AU Jamie is Sophie and Aster's son, named after Sophie's (lost) older brother.

### 1\. E.A.B. (2013, Easter Monday)

The Easter Bunny hated Jack Frost. Every spirit knew that.

Some chalked it up simply to the oh-so-common squabbles between spirits of different seasons. That was hardly the reason.

The little more informed might guess the Easter Blizzard of 1968 was the reason. It was more a symptom than a cause.

Those who thought they knew the two spirits in question would guess was a case of clashing personalities. That was different issue that just made things worse.

No, the reason E Aster Bunnymund hated Jack Frost was simple. He was a terrible influence on his son.

So when the Man in the Moon revealed Frost a new Guardian he had a laundry list of faults to bring up. Lack of work ethic, lack of believers, lack of experience, lack of intelligence, lack of, well, everything.

Less than 72 hours later, after proving himself decidedly in thwarting Pitch, he had the nerve to assume that revoked his restraining order. Just because he’d been let into the Warren once didn’t mean he was free to visit.

E Aster Bunnymund – Scholar, Warrior, Guardian, Father to one J Milfoil Bunnymund – double checked his bandolier and the edge of his ‘rangs. He had a troublemaker to set straight.

* * *

### 2\. J.O.F. (c. 1820)

Jack Frost was young spirit, just over a century old. He was still learning the rules of the cold world he found himself in. A difficult task when no one would _teach_ him.

He could only be seen by other spirits but none deigned to spare him even a glance. Okay, the Sandman was cool, though he was always working. The tooth fairies were too, but they were busy also.

All the spirits Jack met were busy or fiercely defensive of their peaceful seclusion. Jack couldn’t understand it. He couldn’t stay in one place and wanted so desperately to socialise.

So Jack wandered. He got to see more of the world, and maybe he’d bump into someone who’d talk to him.

One northern summer he stumbled upon the Easter Kangaroo. Not unusual, the guy travelled each summer looking at flowers and stuff. More unusual was that he wasn’t alone.

With him was another giant rabbit. Shorter – maybe even than Jack – with a cream, almost blonde, pelt. They seemed feminine somehow. Not that Jack was an expert. Anyway, she was wearing some cross between a sun hat and a crown of flowers. It wove around her ears and fell down around her shoulders and over an eye.

She turned and he saw a bundle in her arms. Poking out of it was a curious little brown rabbit. Its eyes were bouncing around and its nose twitching like a hummingbird, even if it seemed too tired to move.

Jack’s cuteness induced squeal spooked the rabbits. A foot stomp and they were gone. Jack decided he was going to befriend the baby bunny. A kid wouldn’t have reason to ignore or hate him.

* * *

### 3\. J.M.B. (2013, Easter Monday)

“Jack, stop it!” squealed J, writhing under the skilful fingers of the newest Guardian.

His mum was just watching highly amused. Occasionally egging Jack on. Seems their friendship had never been a secret from her.

Hearing the breathlessness in J’s voice, Jack ceased his tickle attack. Instead rolling to flop on the ground next to the young rabbit. The Warren was green and peaceful and perfect, as it should be.

J controlled his breathing – at least he learnt _something_ from his meditation lessons – enjoying Jack’s presence. It had almost been half a century since his dad banned them from seeing each other.

“J-mi,” began Jack, using his personal nickname for J, his tone less playful, “I’m really proud of you kiddo, standing up to Pitch and all. But could you never ever do something like that again? I didn’t know I could have a heart attack.”

“Someone had to,” J grumbled, “and dad’s been teaching me Pooka Tai Chi.”

“I doubt he meant for you face off the Nightmare King. Enough of that!” Jack shouted as he flipped up onto his feet, “so care to give me a tour. We were a bit busy with Easter prep yesterday (or the day before? stupid time zones) to get a good look.”

J sprang up eager to show off his home to his best friend. He grabbed the frost spirit’s hand and started dragging him towards the Burrow.

“Yeah, come on! I’ll show you my room.”

“No you won’t,” came a deep Aussie voice. “You, J Mifoil Bunnymund, are in big trouble. You’re going to your room. You’re on extra chores and lessons until I change my mind. Now scram.”

Ears down, trying to disappear by strength of will, J dropped Jack’s hand and fled as ordered. His dad may treat him nicer than Jack thought him capable of, but if J did something stupid (like exposing himself to Pitch and putting himself in danger) he got punished by the Last Soldier of the Pooka. As he fled his sharp hearing caught the beginning of the argument between his dad and Jack.

“Hey! Why you being so hard on him? He’s your son!”

“Exactly! I’ll do what I see fit. You are still banned from seeing him, and the Warren. Get out.”

“I’m a Guardian now, doesn’t that…”

J didn’t drag his feet, he didn’t want to hear his favourite two people argue. He fled to his room, only just holding back tears. Which fell when he found his mum waiting for him. He curled up in her lap and focused on her soothing finger-combing.

“Don’t worry, honey. Your dad’ll come around. He just afraid of losing you.”

* * *

### 4\. J.O.F. (c. 1890)

It took Jack almost another century before he really met the little rabbit. He’d caught the Easter Bunny a dozen times, but he’d been alone. No baby bunny.

Jack would’ve been happy to be the Easter Bunny’s friend. He didn’t expect it to happen. One of the Big Four was sure to be busy. But he didn’t expect to be shouted at almost immediately.

They may have argued a bit. Jack wasn’t sure what he’d done, but the giant rabbit didn’t seem to like him. Even before they’d met. Jack didn’t understand that either. He guessed that even while they ignored him, they had some gossip grapevine.

But this time, there he was! All three rabbits were out and about again. The mama rabbit was shepherding (bunherding?) the kit around. Jack guessed it wasn’t the first family outing, since she was letting him get quite a distance from her.

Jack ghosted closer. Luckily they were up in the Rockies, so a cool breeze wasn’t out of place. He knew from experience that the Easter Kangaroo had excellent hearing, and could feel things through his feet. He slid under a bush, and waited for the baby bunny.

He didn’t have to wait long. A curious, twitchy little nose nudged under the leaves near his face. This close, Jack could see the flecks of gold in the rich brown eyes.

“Hi,” breathed Jack.

He didn’t want to spook the little guy. The kit cringed back a little but didn’t run away. In fact, his mouth had fallen open almost comically wide.

“I’m Jack. Jack Frost. What’s your name?”

The chocolate (Jack really needed to think of a different word, even though he looked just like rich, sweet chocolate) rabbit didn’t answer. Just blinked and perked his ears.

“Can you talk?”

The bunny nodded slowly, mouth still hanging open.

“Okay,” Jack drawled. Maybe he could speak, maybe he couldn’t. Was he trying to have a conversation with a bunny toddler? “Want to be my friend?”

More nodding, faster this time. Then the rabbit squirmed closer and brushed noses with him. It took all Jack’s control to keep his reaction to soft chuckle instead of laughing up a lung. It tickled, soft fur and whiskers brushing his cheeks. Plus, the nose _never stopped_. Jack figured it was only polite to return the gesture.

“Yack ‘rost?”

“Did you just say?” breathed Jack. It was a little mangled but that was his name!

“Jack F-rost.”

“You said it again. You said…”

“Jack Frost!”

“That’s right!” cheered Jack, not-so-quietly, “You said my name! What’s yours?”

“Jay Meezfle.”

There was a little gap between the syllables and a weird bit on the end, but Jack guessed that was the baby bunny’s way of saying Jamie.

“Okay Jamie, let’s be friends.”

Lying on the ground, even Jack felt the three thumps that spooked Jamie. With a quick nose rub, the little rabbit turned tail and fled.

Jack didn’t move, still brimming with joy. He’d made a friend! He might be a toddler but still!

* * *

### 5\. J.M.B. (c. 2050)

J didn’t know many people. Even under a broad definition including various spirits and entities with questionable sentience. But his best friend was definitely Jack Frost. They’d known each other most of their lives. Since he’d been learning to speak actually.

It wasn’t surprising that J thought about Jack a lot then, was it? He used to think mostly about the fun they’d had together and what they might get up to next time they saw each other. That was still the case, but now he was thinking about Jack. Just Jack. His face and how he moved. The fact that he didn’t think nose-kissing was weird.

His dad was still trying to keep them from seeing each other. J was getting good at sneaking past the sentinels and navigating the tunnels.

In the past few decades since Pitch’s latest uprising, J had gone through a growth spurt. He was all limbs now. He was often tripping over his own feet but now at least it didn’t tire him out to walk around on two feet. Or chase Jack when he teased him about his klutziness.

J thought about Jack a lot. He had a suspicion of where such thoughts might lead. You pick up on things when your dad is the Herald of Spring. And well, he was over three hundred – he didn’t need the birds and the bees explained to him.

He did wonder who he could talk to about it all though. His dad was out, J wasn’t meant to be seeing Jack anyway. He’d tried bringing it up with his mum but she got all creepy super-excited. Jack wasn’t an option, obviously. The googies and sentinels didn’t talk. The other Guardians were too much hassle to get on their own. He’d just keep trawling the library. The questions J was looking for had to be in there somewhere.

J ran down the North American tunnel, paws knowing exactly were to tread. Most of the Warren’s defences were focused on keeping things out. The tricky part was always getting back in. But that problem was hours away.

He came out in the Rockies. It was too risky to go to Burgess. His dad had alarms on that tunnel. Plus this little spot was special. It was where they became friends.

“You’re late.”

“Had to distract my dad,” explained J.

“What did you do this time?” Jack asked with a mischievous grin, one prankster to another.

Jack would never believe it but J knew his dad would revenge-prank him later.

“If you ask me anything about the Glitter Ferns, dad’s sparring automatons, and twenty metres of fishing line – I have nothing to say.”

Nor did he if Jack asked him about the dreams Sandy was leaving him.

* * *

### 6\. J.O.F. (c. 1920)

The Wind brushed round Jack, whispering in his ear. Grinning, he let his snowball fall from his hand. The Wind picked him up and threw him through the sky. The kids in the snowball war he left behind wouldn’t even notice he’d left.

The earth curved below Jack. The Wind sensing his eagerness pushed hard. It took him high and fast. Journeys like this tested even Jack’s weather resistance. He’d already frozen over his eyes to protect them. Good thing he didn’t _need_ to breathe.

Jack fell just as fast. Not getting a chance to locate himself more than “mid-morning north Africa”. He focused more on muffling his effect on the weather. Wouldn’t want the Guard to catch him.

He landed maybe fifty yards from the family. Mother, father and kid out on a day trip. As much as Jack wanted to interrupt the rabbit’s painting with an out of climate snowball, he wanted more to meet the “nipper”.

Jack unfurled his hand and blew a single snowflake. It meandered over pass the mama rabbit. She seemed content to watch her husband.

The snowflake’s target was their kit. Jack called the kit Jamie – he thought flower names for guys were just stupid. Blue sparkles erupted from its impact with Jamie’s cute little nose. His chocolate ears stood up and flicked in Jack’s direction. With a quick word to his mom, the little rabbit started hopping over.

“Jack!” he whisper-shouted as he launched himself into a hug.

“Hey, kiddo,” Jack whispered back, knuckling the kit’s head. “Long time no see.”

Jack held the baby bunny under the arms and looked him over. Unlike his parents who were somewhat human proportions, the kit was still more rabbit shaped. He didn’t have the markings of his parents, yet.

“You’re not fluffy anymore!” exclaimed Jack, with an exaggerated pout.

“I know!” the kit agreed with a huge nod, then continued more subdued, “Dad says I won’t get my adult coat for three hundred _years_.”

“Eh,” Jack shrugged, “so does this mean you’re going to start growing sometime soon?”

“I _am_ growing,” pouted Jamie.

Jack had gotten quite good at reading giant rabbit expressions over the years. Jamie was basically his only friend in the world. Oops, he made himself sad. Better do something fun.

“Wanna have a little fun?”

Jamie’s brilliant grin was all the answer he needed.

* * *

### 7\. S.O.B. (c. 2150)

S Ophrys Bunnymund (nee Bennettle) would be the first to confess to obsessing with things and exuberantly getting a bit too hands on. So she thought she’d be having a good go of not interfering in her son’s love life. Of being there for him if he had any questions. Maybe not, with how he never could quite bring it up. Maybe she had to do it herself.

So one night, when Aster was out on nightmare patrol, she settled down with Meez. After careful carding of his fur relaxed him enough to freely talk, she started.

“You’re named after your uncle.”

“Yeah, your favourite older brother,” mumbled Meez in response. He was almost tranced.

“Did I ever tell you about his bonded?”

“No.”

“Eriophorum was a polar clansman, half the year his coat was snow-white.” Ophrys doubted she imagined Meez’s tensing, which steady work loosened as she continued, “He was so full of energy, and he was always drawing us along with him.

“You’re a lot like my brother,” she observed before teasingly adding, “Though sometimes I wonder if we should’ve named you Mimosa. It’d be a lot more fitting than Milfoil.”

Meez started much more violently when he parsed her meaning. He tried to flee the talk. Ophrys was lucky Meez wasn’t fully grown. If he’d had his last growth spurt she could’nt’ve held him in her lap. At least long enough to roll them so she was sitting on him.

“Stay where you are,” she ordered, “Now, we’re overdue for this conversation. My nose tells me you haven’t yet, but you want Jack, don’t you?”

“Mummm,” groaned Meez, his previous embarrassment meant nothing to him now.

“Well that’s fine. I’ve been working on your father about it too. I need to make you understand some things. Then we’ll talk about getting your man, okay?”

Her tone made it obvious that Meez had no choice but to agree. Ophrys couldn’t really find it in herself to feel sorry for her son. It was kind of like when she chased the googies around. But a million times better.

“Good. I’m not going to presume on the mechanics of your relationship. Since you’ve been doing cross-species shapeshifting since you were a little nipper, I’m guessing you might try shifting sexes. Now Erio was a guy who did that, but he wasn’t careful, so two months later he found…”

* * *

### 8\. J.O.F. (1968)

Jack had only been friends with Jamie for eighty or so years, but they’d developed some little traditions. For the last few decades – bar when those Great Wars had been happening – Jamie had been tagging along with his father for the pre-Easter route planning. After bumping into him one year, Jack had started testing how many times they could find each other during Jamie’s outing.

It was a global, one-on-one, cross of tag and hide-and-seek. It was awesome.

Jack was winning this year. He had found Jamie five of the eight times they met. So far the Easter Kangaroo’s expedition had covered from the Pacific to Europe. Next up were the Americas. Jack’s home territory.

He was perched in a tree near his hometown of Burgess. Jack had overheard Bunny a couple of times. Burgess got a little more personal attention simply because apparently Jack was a terror and winter and generally bad news.

“Found you!”

“Gah!”

Jack nearly tumbled out of his tree. Since when had Jamie been a tree climber?

“Five/four, I’m catching up!”

“Oh yeah? You got lucky. I’m not going to fall for that trick again.”

Rather than retort, Jamie’s ears flicked and he gave an apologetic smile. Before starting to hop branch to branch down to the ground.

“Dad’s calling, gotta go. I think we’re going to Michigan next. I’ll find you!”

With that the chocolate kit disappeared between some bushes. Easter was early this year, winter still held sway in a lot of places. The big rabbit was better camouflaged really.

The rabbits travelled underground, so Jack couldn’t trail them that way. He had to rely on the Wind telling him where they appeared and hopefully getting there before they moved on.

With a laugh Jack threw himself into air and let the wind take him northwest. Jamie gave him the best directions he could. Plus the Easter Tight-ass was a stickler for routine.

A hundred miles south of Chicago it wasn’t Jack who found Jamie. It was the Easter Bunny who found him. One moment he was gliding, close to the ground, looking for his friend; next he was being held up by the back of his hoodie.

“Got ya, ya ratbag.”

“Oh, fancy meeting you here, _Bunny_ ,” Jack couldn’t resist sassing in response.

“I’m not having you ruin another Easter with your bloody snow. You’re going to clear off, hide in the Arctic where you belong, ya hear?”

“Hmm,” Jack examined nails, attempting to project disinterest (a difficult task when held off the ground by your arch-nemesis), “I hear ya. But I ain’t listening. Winter’s still around these parts, so I’m sticking around. Unless you want me Down Under early?”

Jack inwardly grinned at Bunny’s shudder from his eyelash flutter.

“No. Easter means spring and new life. So bugger off.”

“But I wanna play with the kids,” whined Jack, hoping he could mimic Jamie’s pout. Maybe it’d work for him too?

Obviously it didn’t. Bunny’s expression turned from annoyance into actual anger. His eyes tightening – as did his grip on Jack’s hoodie.

“Kit? I knew it! I knew you wanted something with my boy. It isn’t gonna happen, get it? You stay away from my son.”

“Dad?” came Jamie’s voice, anxious not to attract his father’s anger, “Jack’s my friend. I don’t want him to stay away.”

Bunny’s gaze slid over to his son. Seemed to judge something in his head before casually tossing Jack aside.

“I don’t care. He’s no good and you’re not to see him. If this is why you want to come to the surface so much, well, I’m not going to take you anymore.”

Bunny’s arm darted out and pulled Jamie onto his hip.

“In fact, we’re going back to the Warren right now.” The Easter Bunny looked down on Jack with a disgusted expression, “And you. Stay away from my son and from Easter. Or you’ll regret it.”

He stamped a foot and disappeared into a tunnel.

Jack stared blankly at the mocking flower marking where they’d disappeared. The shock of this turn of events and Jamie’s grounding melting into anger.

Forbid him seeing his best (only) friend? Order him to leave Easter alone? Well Jack would just have to show how well that would work out for him.

The year was 1968.

* * *

### 9\. J.O.F. (c. 2200)

“You’re beautiful.”

Now _that_ wasn’t the greeting Jack expected to hear. (He ignored the part of him that was pleased to hear it.) He might have been able to keep his balance if it hadn’t been accompanied by Jamie falling on him from behind.

“Everything is so beautiful,” continued Jamie, hopping over to examine a scruffy little flower.

“Are you high?” wonder Jack as he flipped back to his feet.

Taking a good look at Jamie he noticed a few things. The Pooka was getting big, he might be taller than Jack now, and not just cause of his ears. His shoulders were broadening. The biggest change to Jack’s eyes was the sudden appearance of black markings on Jamie’s fur.

The tribal designs were similar to Bunny’s, but the “flowers” on Jamie’s shoulders had six petals rather than three. The lines below were altered to fit. They were a bit rough edged, but Jack figured they’d clear up with time.

“Look at this!”

Jack glanced down at the gift in his hands. Before directing a dead-pan look at his best friend.

“It’s a rock.”

“It’s pretttttttty.”

Hardly, it was a lump of milky quartz. There was handfuls of it all over the place. Didn’t stop Jack from slipping it into his pouch.

Jack had heard that a bucket of ice water could help sober people. He didn’t have a bucket, but he could make ice. He blew a handful of ice at his friend.

“Whoa, you made it snow.”

Jack quirked an eyebrow. Not the reaction he was expecting.

“Yeah, I’m Jack _Frost_. It’s what I do.”

“You made it snow!” Jamie’s eyes were wide as if Jack had created life from nothing or something. In fact they still seemed a little glazed over.

“Again with the knowing,” sarcasm wasn’t a tool Jack wielded against Jamie often but he couldn’t help it in the face of such ridiculousness. “Did you get into North’s cellar?”

“No beautiful,” denied Jamie, draping himself over Jack’s shoulders, in what could charitably be called a hug, “Saw the light.”

“What light?” asked Jack, a little nervously. Wasn’t seeing the light something that happened in near death experiences? If this kept up he was going to have to return Jamie to the Warren. Bunny was going to _kill_ him. He’d probably add this to the Why-Jack-Frost-Should-Stay-Away-From-My-Son List. Never mind that Jamie was drunk/high/whatever when he arrived.

“The First Light. It’san ee-nit-she-ay-shun thingy. Not a kit no more. Got my marks!”

“Yeah, yeah, I saw.”

“It was beautiful. Second most beautiful thing ever, beautiful.”

“Oh? What’s the most beautiful?”

Jamie’s body shivered and Jack was afraid his drug trip was about to go down seizure street. But no, he was just laughing.

“You’re funny, beautiful.”

Jack sighed, looked like he was going to have to throw himself on Bunny’s anger. The things you did for your best friend.

* * *

### 10\. J.M.B. (c. 1980)

“Go away.”

J knew he didn’t sound anything but a sulky kit. He didn’t care, he _was_. All because the one outside his bedroom door had forbidden him from seeing his best – only! – friend.

“Meez, it’s for ya own good.”

That. That was the lie. The falsehood that his father kept wrapping himself in. As if repeating it made it true. Made him right in shunning a lonely boy. Jack didn’t talk about it, but J knew his life was hard. Jack only had J to defend him, so that’s what he’d do. Even all J could do was yell through his door at his dad.

“That’s a lie!”

“No it’s not. He’s no good for ya.”

“Why? Because he’s winter?” Now that he was talking, J couldn’t stop. Though he doubted he dad would listen any more than he had, to someone else yelling through a door for minutes on end. But J had to try, so he kept demanding answers, “Because he doesn’t have any believers? Because he’s new? Because he’s human? Because he wanted a friend? Because he wanted someone to talk to?”

His dad may answered, or at least said no to J’s questioning. But by the time J had run out of steam, and slumped on the door, his dad was equally quiet.

“I’ve listened to you for a long time now, okay?” said J, so softly he wasn’t sure it escaped his room, “Like my whole life in fact. So you kind of owe me now. You don’t have to do much, just a little truth, so I know. Anything,” he pleaded, “Anything at all.”

J listened to the silence on the other side. Nothing. No response, maybe his dad had already gone.

“I knew it.”

J burrowed into his nest and cried.

* * *

### 11\. E.A.B. (c. 2400)

Aster’s mind was light years away from his paws as they painted on autopilot. It had been three hundred years since he’d forbidden Frost from seeing Meez. He wasn’t so naïve as to think they obeyed for more than the few decades it took Manny to spit the dummy and appoint Frost a Guardian.

The show pony had proven himself in the battle against Pitch. Inciting laughter and raising the spirits of the kids, preventing the last light from going out. Aster would even admit (in the silence of his head) that Frost was good with children. Not a wholly irresponsible larrikin with the attention span of a magpie.

Still. Aster couldn’t allow him to corrupt his precious son. He himself was already so far off the Pookan trail. The other Guardians never commented about it but sometimes he felt so guilty. Ashamed of how far his control had slipped, how much he had gone native. He had to teach Meez the proper way – even if he was too chocolate addled to hold to it anymore.

“There’s nothing wrong in feeling.”

Aster made a noise of denial but he didn’t startle. He always knew where Ophrys was. He’d felt her approach, and settle behind him. The googie he’d been working on fell from his hands as she started to rake his fur.

“This isn’t Teangi.” She didn’t let him respond, “Besides just because you big bad warrior scholars were dinky-di diggers doesn’t make your way the only way.”

Aster wanted to argue, but she was right – as always – the emotionless, rational mindset the Pooka army taught was hardly the standard of most Pooka. There was a reason he’d liked Australia from early on, its people’s attitude was very similar to his own’s.

“So I expect you to man up and let Meez court Jack.”

“The bloody hell I will!”

Where had that subject change come from? Just because he didn’t hate Frost didn’t mean having him as a son-in-law was anything resembling a possibility.

“You really think you can stop him?”

“Of courssse,” what began a self-assured boast trailed off into a sigh.

Aster knew Meez had been “sneaking” out for years. But he couldn’t well adjust the wards to trap his son in the Warren. Besides that being a cruel and unjust punishment, he feared what Ophrys would do to him. He knew that she’d always pick Meez over him. To be fair, he probably would too.

He knew that if he tried to trap Meez, he’d get out eventually. And he’d never come back. Aster dreaded the day his kit decided to move out of the family burrow. He hoped he’d set up his own in the Warren. But Meez could decide to go after Jack, who didn’t have a home to share.

A frozen lake did not count.

Ophrys rapped him on his crown with her knuckles before returning to grooming him and saying, “I don’t think you believe that. What really is the problem?”

“Frost’s a menace,” Aster asserted. Start with the obvious.

“Maybe,” Ophrys mused, “but depends on your definition. He doesn’t hurt anyone, and he helps clean up his messes. So not good enough.”

“Frost doesn’t have a home.”

“So? I’m not proposing they move in together, right now. If you let your grudge go. He and Meez could burrow in on the other side of the Warren.”

“Frost isn’t a provider.”

“Yet he provides all Meez needs. Joy, life, purpose. He hardly needs money or food.”

Aster was getting annoyed with his wife’s reasonable counter-arguments. Why couldn’t she understand that Meez _couldn’t_ court Jack?

“He’s too young.”

“Which one? They’re both over five hundred. Just because you were billions of years old when you met me, doesn’t mean Meez should wait so long. Besides, you cheated, sleeping for most of it.”

“They’re not adults,” protested Adults.

Jack had been fourteen when Manny transformed him. Just because Meez had passed his buckhood initiation didn’t make him fully grown either.

“I’m not great at judging humans but I’d say Jack _is_ aging. He certainly seems older than when he first was trailing after Meez.”

Getting offhand confirmation that his mate had been enabling Frost was not something Aster had wanted.

“I asked him about it once. Meez told me Jack had asked his believers what age he was. None thought he was fourteen. Most said eighteen or nineteen. That’s adult for humans isn’t it?”

Aster hummed racking his memory to test Ophrys’ idea. He didn’t think Frost had changed, but then his memories were all stained by his annoyance with the drongo.

“As for Meez. He’s not done growing but the Light accepted him as an adult. Plus I thought It burning markings of snowflakes and frost on him made it kind of obvious.”

What was she talking about? Meez’s initiation markings weren’t frost. He’d gotten a six petal flower, instead of the Bunnymund fleur-de-lis. So what? He examined his mind’s picture of Meez’s markings. It took a moment but he could see how one might think they were snowflakes.

“Oh bloody hell,” Aster groaned, slumping in defeat, “It’s destiny isn’t it?”

“For the fastest creature on the planet, you can be a bit slow,” teased Ophrys.

Aster’s blessing was moot, the Light had already blessed the pairing. Oh dear eternal-fucking-brilliance, Jack Frost was going to be his son-in-law.

“Kill me now.”

* * *

### 12\. J.O.F. (2013, Good Friday)

Jack raced after the shadow. He knew that shape, but what was he doing in Burgess? Easter was close, shouldn’t he be busy preparing? Of Jack’s many faults and he knew his curiosity was one of the worst. Nothing good was going to come of following the interloper, but he had to. He’d been so lonely these last few decades. He missed his friend.

He dropped down into an alley, and wasn’t surprised by who stalked out of the shadows.

“‘Ello, mate.” The stress on the words made it obvious they were sincerely opposite to the giant rabbit’s opinion. “Been a long time. Blizzard of ’68, I believe? Easter Sunday wasn’t it?”

“Bunny, you’re not still mad about that.” Jack attempted to wheedle some compassion out of the bastard, “Are ya?”

“Yes.”

“Me too.”

“Good, stay away from my kit.” Bunny was making an obnoxious show of cleaning his claws with his boomerang. “But this is about something else. Fellas.”

And that was how Jack Frost found himself being thrown in sack and through a magic portal to the North Pole. He struggled out of the red velvet to find the Big Four waiting for him. This couldn’t be good. He really shouldn’t have gone after Bunny.

“There he is!” boomed Santa, who wasn’t quite what Jack had expected, “Jack Frost!”

“You gotta be kidding me,” Jack muttered before objecting to the yetis manhandling him, “Hey! Put me down!”

“I hope the yetis treated you well?”

“Yeah, I _love_ being shoved in a sack and tossed through a magic portal,” drawled Jack, oozing sarcasm.

“Good! That was _my_ idea!” Which Santa apparently couldn’t understand. “You know Bunny, obviously.”

“Obviously,” Jack answered curtly. He wasn’t going to insult the damn rabbit when it was four on one.

The other introductions were cordial enough. Though the Tooth Fairy needed a lesson in personal space. And the Sandman a text-to-speech machine.

“Anyone want to tell me why I’m here?” Jack had a suspicion that the Easter Bastard had finally convinced his big, important friends to do away with him or something.

The Sandman offered a mess of sand images, that Jack didn’t have a hope of following. It was only fair to crouch and apologise for not being up to task in deciphering the charades.

“I must have done something _really_ bad for Bunny to get you all together. Not that I’ve done anything recently. Besides, ’68 was his fault.”

That didn’t seem to be in their script. In fact they broke into a somewhat confused argument. Bunny hollering the blizzard was Jack’s fault, just because he was too immature to control his temper tantrum. The others asking Bunny what was Jack was talking about.

“Fine then,” said Jack, hoping his interruption would get him some answers, “How come you kidnapped me?”

“How come? I _tell_ you how come! Because now,” here Santa paused and Jack wished he would get on with it, “you are Guardian!”

What. Jack’s confusion was not helped at all by the sudden noise and fire twirling and chaos. He liked chaos, just not in enclosed spaces. When he saw Santa getting out a grimoire and the elves trying to trap his feet he had had enough. He slammed his staff down.

“What makes you think I want to be a Guardian?”

“Of course you do! Music!”

“No music!” counter-ordered Jack, he turned to Bunny, “Is being a Guardian enough for me to see Jamie again?”

“No.”

“Then I’m not interested. You guys are hardwork and deadlines, I’m snowballs and fun times.”

* * *

### 13\. J.O.F. (c. 2500)

Jamie had been acting weird in Jack’s opinion. Ever since Bunny – for no reason Jack could tell – had lifted the ban on them seeing each other. Partially lifted, they could see each other. But not without telling Jamie’s parents. Who would often chaperone.

Mrs B was cool, letting them do almost anything. Sometimes Jack had trouble thinking of her as being a generation (and several million years) older than them. In fact there were moments when she seemed more childish than the both of them. Bunny however, not so much. He was always _watching_ like Jack was on thin ice. So Jack behaved himself for Bunny – a concession that always made him feel dirty.

Jack couldn’t quite tell you what was up with Jamie. He seemed oddly shy, more so than having parental supervision would induce. Where they had been free to play, to wrestle, and to generally act immature – Jamie now was just kinda awkward.

He kept coming up to Jack and just ducking his head. Jack didn’t know what to do, but found that scritching his friend between the ears got a happy response. Also Jamie had regressed to licking his hair every now and then. Jack hadn’t been slobbered over by Jamie in _centuries_. Not since the Pooka had been a tiny little thing.

Jamie also kept giving him little knickknacks. Mostly interesting rocks and flower bracelets. Occasionally some human toy, the less said about the Yo-Yo the better. Jack took them all and put them in his room at the Workshop. He could hardly leave them by his lake.

Sometimes Jack noticed Jamie just walking around him. He’d stop every time Jack pointed it out. Wave it off nervously. Jamie also kept plonking his head on Jack’s and rubbing. Or seemingly trying to do the reverse. Getting his head under Jack’s chin and worming up against him. Jack lived wild enough for that to be the corner piece of the puzzle he needed.

After making use of a public library – he was a public servant, right? –Jack had a better idea of what was going on. He’d asked the internet about “rabbit chinning”, the results had been enlightening. If Jamie tried to spray him, Jack was freezing him. An idle wiki walk later found him learning about the Language of Flowers. He’d never quite realised how much of a variety Jamie’s little bracelets had included.

He may have missed a couple of playdates (ha! _dates_ ) while he considered this development. Jamie was his best friend – only real friend. The Guardians were colleagues and family, and he didn’t really know any other spirits. His believers were part responsibility part playmate, not friends he knew super-well, not since the numbers had grown. They certainly were no help in making a decision. Most were too young to think about boyfriends or girlfriends at all.

In the end, two weeks without seeing Jamie and Jack missed him too much to stay away. He was going to play ignorant until he made a decision or couldn’t stand it anymore. Maybe by the time one of them actually said something he’d know what to say.

“Jack.”

The spirit froze, that wasn’t an exuberant greeting he normally got. Served him right for avoiding his best friend. Jamie was speaking not to Jack but his feet.

“I have something I’ve been trying to ask you. I missed you too much, you’re my best friend. I don’t think I could stand it if I scared you away but I have to ask,” Jamie straightened up, looking Jack direct in the eye.

Jack hadn’t seen that look since Jamie stood up to Pitch Black. It had been impressive on the kit’s face but now that his friend was all grown up. Well, it did something to Jack’s insides.

“Will you be my boyfriend?”

“Yes.”

The word leapt from Jack’s tongue. Turns out that he’d already made the decision. Really, what was going to change? They spent as much time together as they could and shared everything with each other.

With a little honk Jack had _never_ heard before, Jamie closed the distance between them. That was how they discovered how awkward human-Pooka kissing was.

But not as awkward as hearing Mrs B celebrating in the background.

* * *

### 14\. J.O.F. (2013, Easter Saturday)

Jack was ecstatic. He was going to the Warren! He cackled as he slid down the tunnels after Bunny. Seemed Bunny was too caught up in Easter fever and the Pitch situation to remember his ban on Jack. Going to the warren was definitely a violation of the Bunny imposed restraining order between Jack and Jamie.

Not that Jack cared. He’d told North of his attempts to bust into the Workshop but Jack had spent far more searching for an entrance to the Warren. The Warren was a much trickier task. Hidden below ground, under a continent winter didn’t really reach, with a domain holder who actually made an effort to keep him out. The Workshop didn’t compare.

It was even greener than he’d imagined. Moss and plants of every kind. Jack knew he was underground – he certainly didn’t like the absence of the Wind. But it was hard to tell, the caverns were so large and full of light.

“Welcome to the Warren,” proudly said Bunny making a sweeping gesture. His ears perked, and he shifted into a battle stance, “Something’s up.”

Following Bunny’s lead, Jack and the others readied themselves. It took a moment for Jack’s merely human ears catch on to the shouting and high pitched scream. Some eggs came running out of a tunnel, shortly followed by a figure Jack hadn’t seen in years.

Jamie was barrelling towards them, and Jack was able to deduce he was shouting “Dad” over and over again. The screaming turned out to be Mrs B chasing him. The Guardians and Jack didn’t drop their guard, had Pitch invaded the Warren? Jamie’s chant shifted to “Jack!” and he shifted targets.

Jack and Bunny were each bowled over as a Pooka landed on them. Jack laughed as he was reunited with his friend. Bunny however was just confused.

“Ophrys? What’s wrong? Is Pitch here?”

“No, no, no,” she giggled, “We’re just playing. What did North want with the aurora?”

“Pitch is back,” Bunny answered so softly Jack doubted the others standing heard him, “he got Sandy and Tooth’s fairies.”

Mrs B’s carefree glee disappeared. She hopped off Bunny and helped him stand. Jack was for once struck by the fact that she was an adult. A spirit who had been a revered goddess before paganism waned.

“Well,” she said, arms on her hips, “somebody better _do_ something!”

After that interesting reunion, Jack was swept up in the extra Easter prep. The Bunnymunds did most of the work – they had the experience and green thumbs. North and Tooth did what they could, mostly following orders. Jack stuck close to Jamie and – between Jack restraining his immaturity and Jamie being serious beyond his age – they made quite a pair. The talked as they worked, catching up on things. Jack telling Jamie about all the changes in the world he’d missed. Jamie thought he should agree to be a Guardian, Jack still wasn’t sure.

“Turns out I was human,” said Jack while they were shepherding eggs through the colour river.

“Really?” Jamie gasped, “What was that like?”

“Don’t know,” he confessed, “apparently Tooth had my memories but Pitch stole them.”

“That sucks.”

They all (residents and visitors) ended up congregated at the main tunnels. Youthful enthusiasm aside, Jamie was still a child, and after a busy few hours he was tuckered out. Jack wanted to forget about the reasons – about Pitch and his memories – and just enjoy Jamie curled up beside him.

“Not bad,” offered Bunny.

“Not bad yourself.”

The slumbering mass at his hip convinced Jack not to push Bunny. To press whether his good behaviour was enough to lift the restraining order. He instead enjoyed a novel moment of peace with the family he secretly wanted to be part of.

That peace was shattered when they opened the tunnels. Right into Pitch’s nightmare horde.

* * *

### 15\. J.M.B. (c. 2550)

“This isn’t working.”

J paused in his set up of a guaranteed romantic atmosphere. Scented candles, rose petals, mood music, the works. His hackles began to rise. He’d put so much effort into this date. Finding just the right spot, a private place in the Australian Alps were the snow was nice.

“What?” snapped J, not sure whether he was more hurt or angry.

“All this,” Jack answered with a wave over all J’s work.

“Don’t you dare,” growled J. He might take after his mum more than his dad, but he thought he could copy his angry stalk. Jack just stood his ground, as he always did. J crossed his arms and added, “I put a lot of work into this. I want one of our dates to go perfectly.”

“Exactly!”

What? Why was Jack _happy_ about that? Happy that after a dozen dates, with such an awkward beginning to their courtship, they still hadn’t managed one without it going sideways.

They tried picnics in the Warren. Dad’s impersonation of a fly on a dead corpse had ruined it. A moonlight walk at Jack’s lake was wrecked by Cupcake interrupting – and hilariously giving Jack a shovel talk of sorts. Dinner and a movie didn’t work, going out in public as fraught with being spotted (by Jack’s growing believer base or J being mistaken for his dad), or walked through (definite mood killer). Every time they’d tried to do something special it had fallen flat one way or another.

“What’ya mean exactly! Why are you happy about this!?”

Jack frowned and seem to grasp he’d mis-stepped. He held his hands up in surrender and shook his head as he tried to explain, “I’m not happy about that. No, I realised what’s wrong.”

J subsided a little and made a “go on” noise.

“We’re trying too hard, Jamie. That’s why things aren’t working,” explained Jack before nodding he towards J’s romantic efforts, “Like what is all that meant to be?”

“A romantic candlelight picnic in the snow.”

“Right,” drawled Jack, “And why are we following cliché dating advice? Since when have we _planned_ things? Name the best time we’ve had together.”

J frowned, that was a hard task. Most of his good times had been with Jack. But what was the best? First meeting? Sneaking out to see the stars? There was a lot to choose from.

“That time you took me to the Winter Olympics and made me try out for all the events. Sledding was awesome.”

“Really? That?” Jack mumbled to himself, cheeks frosting a little. Two man luge had been a little intimate, even if J had been too young at the time to think that. After a moment the winter spirit recollected himself and poked J in the chest triumphantly, “See! Totally unplanned. Why did everything have to change just because I said yes to being your boyfriend?”

J opened his mouth, paused and closed it again. Jack made a good point. J had only been trying to set up these date things because Jack was human, and neither of them knew what they were doing. Skimming trashy advice columns had been his only option.

“Fine. But I expect more cuddles and gifts. Want to go start a snowball fight in Dunedin?”

“That’s more like it!”

“Last one there is a rotten egg!” yelled J as he stomped open a tunnel.

“Prepare to be sulphur!” retorted Jack, gleefully jumping into the pushy grip of the Wind.

Silence settled over the abandoned picnic sight. A hole cleared in the snow from a tunnel and rose petals scattered by a frosty wind.

* * *

### 16\. J.M.B. (2013, Easter Sunday)

J was going to be in so much trouble.

Easter had been ruined, Jack had disappeared in Pitch’s attack, and the Guardians had left to help Dad salvage what he could in person. The Warren had been sealed up with him and Mum in it. They were holed up in their house, pretending everything was apples.

J had quickly tired of it, and excused himself to his room. That’s what he told his Mum, and where he’d planned on going, honest. But on his way a glimmer caught his eye. Coming from the door leading to the basement. J knew how stupid a basement, in an underground house, in the underground Warren, sounded. But still, that’s were his Dad’s office was, or as Mum called it: his man cave.

There was a light spilling out under the door. Not a huge amount, just a soft golden glow. J had only been allowed down there a few times, and never without supervision. But this light, it called to him. Checking left and right, that his mum wasn’t coming, J grabbed the door knob and twisted.

To J’s surprise the door opened easily and silently. He closed the door behind him and padded down the stairs. He ended up in the office, full of egg shaped arts and crafts, weaponry and tools. The centre-piece of the room was a spinning globe. With Australia on top of course. Last time J had seen it, it had been shining with billions of tiny lights. All the children who believed.

It was dark. Frantic, J bounded over to it. Dad had said things were bad, but not this bad. J wasn’t tall enough to see the top portion of the globe. It spun and one light came into view. J hopped closer and saw it was in Burgess.

“Jack,” J breathed. That was his hometown.

J closed his eyes and focused on his magic. Dad had been teaching him the basics of the Tunnels. He stomped and felt the Warren’s seals resist. J kept pushing, determined to help Jack, he just knew he had to go to Burgess. The Warren’s magic held only briefly before J’s stubbornness overcame it.

Instinct steered him down the Tunnels, from Australia to Pennsylvania. He didn’t surface at Jack’s lake, instead outside an apartment block downtown. Frowning J wondered where the light was sending him. Seemed it wasn’t Jack.

J would have to appear human if it was a mortal. He focused on his magic again, on changing his shape. He’d heard stories about adults doing this, even some kids but he hadn’t had any lessons. So he just needed to believe he could do it. He needed to be human.

He opened his eyes and looked down at his new hands. It was weird. And cold. His pyjamas didn’t fit very well anymore.

“What are you doing out on a night like this, kiddo?”

J whirled to face the familiar voice and threw himself at Jack. He was a little hurt that no cold arms rose to catch him, but only gripped tighter.

“Uh, who are you? And how are you touching me?”

J frowned and tilted his head back from where he’d hidden it in Jack’s chest.

“It’s me, J.” Seeing no recognition on Jack’s face. “Your best friend.”

“Oh. Oh!” The sequence of emotions – confusion, realisation, happiness, confusion again – passing across Jack’s face were amusing. “Why aren’t you a bunny?”

“Shapeshifted.”

“Okay, that’s new. And why are you here?”

“The last light.”

“Right, same as me. I saw they were in Burgess, but I’m not sure who.”

J pointed where he knew the light was. A corner apartment, three quarters up the building. Jack followed J’s pointing and shrugged.

“Aren’t you full of surprises,” teased Jack, before picking J up, and floating them to the window.

The window turned out to be that of a tomboyish, ballet loving girl named Cupcake. Who seemed more offended that someone had hurt her Sandman than anything else. She _knew_ he wouldn’t let her have nightmares.

* * *

### 17\. J.O.F. (c. 2600)

Jack’s hands were clammy. Nearly a thousand years a spirit and he’d never known he could do that. But then Pitch had nothing on the guy he was about to ask a very unwelcome favour of.

The Easter Bunny, or more specifically, the father of his boyfriend.

He only had one ally in this. Mrs B, who’d been softening up Bunny for _centuries_. Though right now she was distracting Jamie while Jack talked with Bunny.

Which wasn’t going to happen until he knocked on the door. Steeling himself, Jack raised his hand and knocked. The door just slowly swung open. Ominous creak and everything. Revealing a shadowy staircase descending into darkness.

“Took you long enough, Jackie.”

Jack shivered, Bunny only used nice nicknames when he was in trouble. Deep trouble. The Guardian of Fun swallowed heavily, and begun treading down to meet the Guardian of Hope.

The stairs opened up into a cavern which reminded Jack of North’s private office. If only in function and singular personality. It was more earth than ice, and the shelves were full of eggs and egg-related knick-knacks.

Bunny was sitting, silhouetted by a massive sparkling globe behind him. There was a spear Jack had never seen before resting by the Pooka’s shoulder, calmly sharpening what Jack guessed was a boomerang.

“Ya gonna catch flies, mate.”

“Phew, I thought you’d gone all super villain on me,” Jack joked, trying to cover his discomfort, “All you need is a fluffy cat.”

“If anyone here’s a villain it’s you,” Bunny said levelly, swapping over his boomerangs to sharpen the other, “Now, what brings you to my studio?”

“Ah, IwannamarryJamie.”

“Sorry, didn’t catch that.”

Jack paused, took a deep breath, counted to five, and tried again, “I, Jackson Overland Frost, would like to ask for you, E Aster Bunnymund, for J Milfoil Bunnymund, your son’s hand in marriage.”

“Really now? I thought you’d be the bride, shouldn’t Jamie be asking North for your hand?” Bunny smoothly stood, and casually rolled his spear down his arm into his hand, “Let’s say I agree, hypothetically. I feel I’ll have to make a _point_ , first.”

Jack froze, looking as straight down as he could without moving his head. He could feel a pin prick in the hollow of his throat: Bunny’s spear pressing ever so lightly on it.

“Now that I have your attention, let me explain something. Meez is my only kit. You hurt him and not even Manny will save you. Remember, in Australia everything is out to kill you. _Everything_.”

Bunny had been getting closer and closer, and his smile was predatory, buck teeth and all. Bunny pulled Jack into a staring contest. Jack held firm, but it was far from a personal best when he broke the contest. Bunny huffed in some sort of sick amusement before stepping back, and removing the spear from Jack’s throat.

Jack refused to show any further weakness, so he pushed down the urge to gasp for air. Or run away. He’d stand strong against Bunny’s shovel talk, prove that he was worthy of Jamie. And if that didn’t pan out they’d elope.

Jack was annoyed, almost angry that just when he was recovering his nerve, Bunny broke into laughter. The Pooka was laughing his head off, and only still standing by virtue of propping himself on his spear. By the time the rabbit had finished, Jack had his arms crossed and was tapping a foot.

“Oh, Frosty, your _face_ ,” wheezed Bunny, “C’mon, can’t you take a joke. Thought you were the Guardian of Fun.”

“I am! But this serious!”

“Fair dinkum it is,” agreed Bunny, “But, I couldn’t pass up the chance for a little prank. Now before I give you answer, you’ve got to pass the real test.”

Jack frowned as he followed Bunny up to the globe, something was wrong. Bunny playing a prank. Bunny being prepared. Bunny just not being very Bunny-like.

“Wait, you knew I was coming?”

“Course. Ophrys warned me.”

“Traitor.”

“She wouldn’t see it that way.”

Bunny pulled a lever next to the globe. Looking at it, Jack realised the globe was upside down. The globe shuddered to a stop, the great expanse of the Pacific Ocean facing them. There weren’t many lights, not surprising, since there weren’t many people in that part of the world. The globe shook again, and started tipping over, until an island in the South Pacific was facing Jack. He couldn’t read Pookan but Jack would bet it was Easter Island. Seemed appropriate.

“Take off your shirt.”

“What?”

“You want to marry Jamie? Take off your shirt. Normally, initiates would be naked, but I took a punt you didn’t want to show me ya ruddy duddy.”

Jack was still picking up on Bunny’s slang but if he had to choose between shirtlessness and nudity, yeah, he’d choose just the shirt. Semi-reluctantly he took of his faithful hoodie. Jack couldn’t shake the feeling that Bunny was still pulling his leg. But still, what was a little embarrassment for Jamie? Plus, Bunny seemed his normal, serious self again.

“Right. Don’t look away.”

There was another clunk of a lever and Jack looked sideways. Bunny just grabbed his head and held him facing the globe again. There was a light on Easter Island, and it was brightening. Cracks, no seams – they were too ordered – appeared, radiating from the island. The light grew, and the globe started to peel back, like a flower.

Jack was entranced. The light was beautiful, it was brilliant, it was all the potential of the universe. It was amazing. It surrounded him, there was nothing but white-rainbow around him. He lost himself in it as it filled him. Time had no meaning. He had no meaning. There was nothing but the Light. He was content, he could stay in it forever. He couldn’t wait to show Jamie.

The Light gave him one last warm hug, and sent him back to the beautiful, chaotic, living world.

“Back again, Jacaranda?” asked the big, grey, _alive_ , perfect being. Jack could see the Light in the Pooka’s eyes, hiding in his fur.

“Whoa.”

“Yep, you’re plastered. Go to find ya boyfriend, you’ve got my blessing.”

He had to see Jamie! He was allowed to ask! Everything was amazing!

* * *

### 18\. J.O.F. (c. Easter Sunday)

Jack laughed like a mad man as he led a crazed sled ride down the night-time streets of Burgess. Half his cackling came down to his realisation of purpose. He was the Guardian of Fun! He was the Guardian that would through a snowball at Pitch’s face as a distraction. Then shepherd the other Guardians, Jamie and Cupcake into an improvised sledding competition.

Jamie was laughing too, from where he held his mini-fied father in his lap. Jack was never going to let Bunny live that down. Jamie had regressed a bit too, but not as much. He looked like a five year old human rather than his previous ten year old rabbit-boy. Unlike Bunny’s adorable tinsey-winsey fluffiness.

Jack wasn’t sledding, he was playing airborne steed to Cupcake. The girl he’d helped make friends just a couple of days ago. The girl who’d refused to be like everyone else and stop believing. Who seemed immune to Pitch’s nightmares. The Last Light.

A careful application of happy flake filled snowballs, and Jack had opened the eyes of her new friends. It wasn’t much, but it was a start.

“You think a few children can help you? Against this?” goaded Pitch.

As ten storey high clouds of nightmare sand engulfed the town, it didn’t feel like enough. Jack looked back at his allies. North couldn’t lift his sword, Tooth couldn’t fly, Bunny was tiny and they had a bunch of elementary kids. Seeing Cupcake worrying her lip, Jack tried to look confident.

“They’re just bad dreams, Cupcake.”

“And we’ll protect you,” Bunny said, his voice still deep and sure.

“Aww, you’ll protect them,” cooed Pitch, before twisting his smile into a threatening gleam of teeth, “But who will protect you?”

Jack looks down in surprise when Jamie and Cupcake come up on each side and stand in front of him. What are they doing? Jamie looks back over his shoulder and Jack is struck by the seriousness of the little rabbit’s gaze. Suddenly he has no doubts that Jamie will not give up in the face of fear. With a nod, Jamie turns his attention back to Pitch.

“We will.”

Then the other kids are joining them, and really the Guardian’s shouldn’t have let Jack bring kids to the final showdown. What were they thinking? What was he thinking?

“Oh look, another little pest. Once I’ve won this battle, I’m going to finish what I started. But first!” Pitch raised his arms and the clouds crashed down, a black tsunami intent on destroying Burgess, “Still think there’s no such thing as the Boogeyman?”

As the wave approaches, Jamie just steps forward, arms outstretched. As if he think he can hold back their impending doom with his faith.

“I do believe in you,” Jamie’s voice is level and sounds older than his actual age, not just his regressed state. “Dad’s told me all about you. I’m just not afraid of you.”

Jack is awed when Jamie performs a miracle. The black sand reaches out to engulf him first, but blooms into brilliant gold when it touches him.

The tide turns.

* * *

### 19\. J.M.B. (c. 2600)

J laughed as Jack pulled him along a tunnel. He wasn’t sure what had gotten into his boyfriend. One minute J had been doing his best at stonewalling his mum’s questions about his love life. The next his shirtless boyfriend was dragging him out of the Warren, babbling drunkenly. Which was worrying, Jack’s liver was pretty phenomenal.

J didn’t get any answers when they surfaced. Not even a chance to speak, before Jack had whisked him away into the sky. J scrunched his eyes shut – he liked flying, but not without warning.

Maybe if he’d had his eyes open he could’ve prevented them crashing quite so badly. He sensed the approaching earth only just in time to place himself between Jack and the rocky ground. A panicked push of magic and they landed in dirt rather than rocks.

“Brilliant.”

J looked down at his boyfriend, happily straddling him. Shirtless. But drunk. He had to remember Jack seemed out of his mind. Though J hadn’t known Jack had gotten any tattoos. The black tribal markings reminded J of Pooka markings. Actually this all reminded him of what he’d been like after his initiation. At least according to Jack.

“Gotta ask you something.”

“What, Jack?”

“It’s important.”

“What’s important?”

“What I have to ask you.”

“What’s that?”

“It’s important.”

“Jack,” groaned J.

“You’re beautiful.”

J let his head flop back onto the ground, exasperated. And doing his best to not get aroused by his boyfriend wriggling around on top of him. Now curious, he lifted his head back up to look at Jack.

The winter sprite was patting himself down, obviously searching for something. Which was most likely in his hoodie, wherever that ended.

“What are you looking for?”

“A pretty ring for my pretty boy.”

J’s ears dropped and flushed. There was a pretty clear implication there. He hoped Jack hadn’t felt the need to get drunk to ask him. Though evidence suggested he’d been through a Pooka initiation. J wondered how that happened. He doubted Jack broke into his dad’s office and overcame the First Light’s own defences.

“Don’t be shy, little bunny,” Jack’s childish, light tone was at odds with the way he crawled up J. He then kissed J on the nose, “I think you’re cute.”

“I think you’re cute too.”

“Nope, you said I was beautiful. Right here!”

J frowned and felt the earth beneath them. They were in the Rockies, and place they’d met up pretty often. He’d take Jack’s word that it was the same place.

“So what did you want to ask me Jack?”

“I was wanna ask you to marry me, but I can’t find the ring,” whined Jack.

J giggled at his boyfriend’s pout. He nuzzled him and grinned.

“Of course I’ll marry you, doofus.”

“Yay!”

J could only sit up and watch fondly, as Jack sprung off him to look for pretty flowers. He had a feeling the ring was in Jack’s hoodie, which was most likely in the Warren. There was no rush though, they were basically married already anyway.

* * *

### 20\. J.O.F. (2013, Easter Monday)

Jack was still running high on the last few days. Seeing Jamie again, recovering his memories, helping defeat Pitch, and now – he was going to be a Guardian. His home lake felt like the perfect setting for this. Dawn was breaking over it, and maybe it was just left over emotion from Pitch’s darkness, but the light seemed extra bright and hopeful this morning.

Or maybe it was that he wasn’t alone in his home for once. Not just Jamie visiting, or mortals ignorant of his existence. A bunch of powerful spirits – who he could call friends. A bunch of children – who _believed_ in him, who _saw_ him.

“Are you ready now, Jack?” North’s serious voice drew Jack’s attention back to the present. “To make it official?”

Jack nodded. He knew now what he was meant to be, a Guardian. North returned his nod and opened the grimoire Jack had first seen back at the Workshop.

“Will you, Jack Frost… vow to watch over the children of the world? To guard them with your life – their hopes, their wishes, and their dreams? For they are all that we have, all that we are and all that we will ever be.”

 Jack looked back at the throng waiting for him to say yes. The reassuring smiles from the other Guardians, the eager cheering from the children. And his best friend’s broad grin. Jack had no doubts, but seeing his new charges just strengthened his will. He looked back at North.

“I will.”

“Then congratulations, Jack Frost – for you are now and forevermore… a Guardian!”

North closed the book with a snap. A signal for everyone to start celebrating properly. North pulled him into a hug that crushed the air out of his lungs, good thing he didn’t need it. Next was Tooth giving him a much lighter hug – and dental examination. Sandy floated up to him and patted Jack on the cheek. The dream weaver’s gaze proud and offering not forgiveness but denying any possible guilt.

Then was Bunny. No sappy embraces, no proud congratulations. At least his stare had a smidgen of respect in it. Progress was progress. The Pooka stiffly held out a paw. Jack stared blankly at it for a beat, before realising Bunny was offering a handshake.

Jack accepted the offer and even resisted pumping the other’s arm like crazy. He could be responsible. Just watch him.

“So, how many brownie points do I get?”

Bunny frowned before wryly smirking. The closest Jack had ever got to a smile from Bunny. “Maybe six.”

“Enough to see Jamie?” Jack did his best to mimic Jamie’s big, brown, puppy dog eyes.

“No. Just ‘cause you’re a Guardian, doesn’t make you a menace.”

“Worth a shot,” said Jack with a shrug. With that he spun off to speak to the kids – and his best friend.

* * *

### 21\. J.M.B. (c. 2700)

J was nervous. Today they were making it official. Tying the knot. Giving up a wonderful future for the ball and chain.

And it couldn’t be just family. No, Jack was a Guardian and a top spirit these days. J wasn’t a Guardian, but he was the son of one, and he shared a lot of believers with Jack. Neither had a holiday, but Jack one of the faces of winter, and J along the way become a midwinter spirit of lengthening days. Of dreams, and hopes, and _faith_ that spring would come again.

The spirit world was a small place, so their wedding had been the social event of the season – or the decade. Which meant that rather than the small event they both would’ve preferred it had to be a big production. And lest things go Sleeping Beauty or Apple of Discord on them, they had to invite everyone. Lest someone take offence and cause trouble.

J melted when someone started raking his fur. Familiar claws drew stress out of him and he sighed in bliss.

“Don’t go too far, Meez,” he dad chided.

J whined a little when the grooming stopped. He didn’t care if it made his dad laugh. He could do with a little relaxation.

“Looking good.”

J had to take his dad’s word for it. There wasn’t a mirror around to check. Neither Jack nor he were wearing a wedding dress. They were two men getting married, would one of them being in drag really change anything? J was wearing a formal Pookan coat, like his dad used to when he first joined the Guardians. J’s was in deep blue, with silver embroidery echoing his Light-given-markings.

A chime filled the air, the signal for Jack and J to make their appearance. J drew on the resolve he’d had to face down Pitch (oh, right he’d been invited) and strode to the door. His dad took his arm. A second chime and they stepped out into the grove where the wedding was being held.

Neither Jack nor J were playing the bride or groom really. They considered themselves equal and they were both guys. Rather than have one walk down the aisle, they’d decided to have two aisles and each walk to the stage. It wasn’t like they each had large, separate families. J was being escorted by his dad, and Jack by Sandy. Apparently North was great, but Sandy had always been there for him.

As J walked down to the centre of the bowl-like clearing, he caught his first glimpse of Jack dressed up. His husband-to-be had replaced his tattered hoodie for a sleek set of silver tails. J had suggested white, but apparently that was too “predictable”.

The stupid number of guests meant that it took a stupid amount of time for J and Jack to meet at the front. North was waiting, grinning, outwardly more eager than the two of them.

“Are you ready now? To make it official?”

Jack smiled and J may have gotten lost. J was brought back when North cleared his throat – and Jack kicked him in the shin. That got a faint laugh and J’s attention.

“Do you, J Milfoil Bunnymund, take Jackson Overland Frost to be your oath-bound husband, to cherish in love and in friendship, in strength and in weakness, in success and in disappointment, to love him faithfully, today, tomorrow, and for as long as the two of you shall live?”

“I do,” said J without hesitation.

“Then I pronounce you husband and husband! You may kiss!”

Jack didn’t wait, all but leaping for J. J caught him and took the opportunity to swing his new husband into a dip. Who of course played along and lifted one leg as if they had choreographed it.

“Beautiful,” breathed J when they broke for air.

“Brilliant,” replied Jack, before he drew J into another kiss.

**Author's Note:**

> In case the hover text didn't work. The flower meaning for mimosa is "bashful, secret lover" and milfoil is "war". Ophrys is the genus name for many orchids. Eriophorum, aka cottonsedge, doesn't have a set meaning, just is an Arctic plant snowball like seed heads.


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